Fearfully and Wonderfully

I struggle with knowing that God made me beautiful in my own unique way. That I am enough in my natural, physical appearance. That beauty starts from within, and works its way out. That I don't need affirmation from those I love and admire to feel good about who I was created to be. That I am not all alone when I am in temptation, and that the Lord is not out of touch with my trials.

I was caving in under these struggles one morning, when I decided to fight back.

I decided to pull out my favorite psalm, 139, and defeat each lie that was festering in my heart with a solid truth from God's word.

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You."

When I am suffocating in fear and temptation, His hand is still over me, and He is upholding me in that trial. I cannot flee from His presence, and in the darkness His light shall shine!

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them."

I do not need to believe that I am not beautiful, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the eyes of God. Who needs affirmation from the world, when I have been skillfully wrought by the Creator of the universe?

"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."

However much I crave affirmation from people around me, about my personal appearance, personality, etc. ultimately all I need to know is that my Savior loves me, and accepts me just as I am! His thoughts towards me are innumerable, His love towards me unfathomable! I am always with Him, and He will never leave me, nor forsake me.